Keeping national secrets

April 28, 2014

It is understandable that the armed forces, the nation's intelligence agencies and the White House want to avoid disclosure of information that may be harmful to national security. But too often, secrets kept by the government have less to do with security than keeping Americans in the dark about surveillance of millions of us.

Learning about government abuses is about to become even more difficult. This week, President Barack Obama's administration revealed a directive with new limits on the 17 U.S. intelligence agencies' contacts with the press.

Only "authorized personnel" are even allowed to talk with reporters.

And here's the kicker: The directive applies to unclassified intelligence information - the kind even the government admits is not harmful to national security.

Several presidents, both Republican and Democrat, have been obsessed with secrecy. In some ways, Obama has taken that to new levels - often on matters that have nothing to do with security.

National security is one thing. But what about our personal security as Americans to know our liberties are not being stripped away by a secretive government?